Galholtra replaces Nair at Ford

Following the sudden departure of Raj Nair, the Blue Oval has promoted quickly from within.

Kumar Galhotra, 52, will take over as group vice-president and president of Ford North America starting March 1.

Galholtra will be responsible for leading all aspects of Ford’s North American business. A 29-year veteran of the company, he has served in a variety of senior-level engineering and product strategy positions around the world.

In addition to leading Lincoln through the recent effort to revitalize the brand, the customer experience and model lineup, he has served as the company’s chief marketing officer since last year.

The sudden move came after Nair’s surprise departure earlier this week. The executive was terminated following a recent internal investigation into reports of inappropriate behaviour.

Ford said the review determined certain behaviour by Nair was “inconsistent with the company’s code of conduct.”

“We made this decision after a thorough review and careful consideration,” Ford president and CEO Jim Hackett said in a release.

“Ford is deeply committed to providing and nurturing a safe and respectful culture and we expect our leaders to fully uphold these values.”

Nair had been president of Ford North America since June 1, 2017. Prior to that, he served as Ford’s head of global product development and chief technical officer.

Published reports indicate his termination will cost him roughly $5 million in contract bonuses.